Chapter 34

The worldwide network of digital information is the most complex spell ever crafted and is regularly maintained. The network, known as the Living Sigil Network (LSN), is made up of hundreds of millions of nodes communicating via data encoded in Lumina Myst outside the common wavelength of sight. The nodes are any devices that use the network, such as therra-nodes, laptops, and holo-displays. The network is a massive, ever-changing sigil that encompasses the globe, connected to smaller sigils in each device, hence why it’s considered ‘living’.

Day 332, Hornaday

A bolt of ice shot toward me, almost too fast to follow. Sidestepping, I dodged it by inches without batting an eye. I drew the thumb of my gauntleted hand across the palm of my left, drawing a thin line of blood with my newly installed razor. I clenched my fist, forcing blood to the surface.

I had recently been taught the phases of spellcasting, making a concept I had been performing semi-instinctively all the more effective.

Phase one: collection. I drew myst from my Mystwell and saturated my fresh blood with it. Phase two: formation. I shaped the raw power with intent. Phase three: activation. I threw out my hand as it came alight with a crimson flame, the spray of blood evolving into a burning serpent that rushed across the room.

Rose backflipped away from my spell. The move was needlessly flamboyant, but she loved showing off. As she landed, she flashed a mischievous smile, but I noticed her eyes were looking past me. I turned to look over my shoulder and saw a blur of black movement before an erupting burst of pain in my face, in time with a flair of light that took my vision. My feet left the ground, and the world turned on its head. I was flying blind.

A hard collision with the ground cut my flight short. I struck my left shoulder, slid, and rolled to a stop, my vision a wave of stars and static. I lay on my back until I could see the ceiling. I slowed my breathing, doing so only through my mouth as I felt warm fluid running from my nose. When I could see again, I turned my head to find Thallos standing there, arms folded, an amused smirk on his face. I flipped over, brought two fingers to my nose, and they came away bloody. I pulled myself to my feet, glaring at my uncle.

“What the hell was that?!” I snapped.

Thallos let out a derisive snort. “Come now, boy. You can’t get tunnel vision. Focus on one opponent, and you’ll be blind to someone else.”

I stormed toward him. “I-I didn’t have tunnel vision. I just wasn’t expecting you to sneak attack me,” I stammered.

In answer, he simply pointed to his right. I followed his finger to find Rose rushing at me with a whip of flowing water. She lashed it at me as she closed the distance. I leaped back. The moment my feet touched the ground, she pushed the offensive, a massive stomp sending the floor rippling toward me. Behind the wave, the stone floor cracked and snapped. The wave rushed at me, expanding to cover even where I could dodge.

I shot my grappling hook from my tactical gauntlet and pulled myself from the floor just as the ripple was about to collide with me. The hook mounted to the ceiling behind Rose. Lifted, I closed the distance, swinging in feet-first. She saw it coming and wrapped her liquid whip around my ankle, throwing me off trajectory. With my free hand, I drew two fingers across my upper lip to collect a bit of blood.

I quickly formed a small barrage of crimson ice bullets and flicked them at high speed as I swung past. The volley pelted her body, shredding her jacket and drawing thin lines of blood. I reeled myself in and pressed my feet against the ceiling, crouching upside down. My uniform jacket hung down, obscuring my vision but also hiding what I was about to do. I closed one nostril, angled my other hand to catch, and blew out my nose. A jet of bloody mucus sprayed into my hand. Gross. But it gave me an idea.

I released my anchor. As I fell, I slipped from my coat, catching it in my teeth. I mentally measured my fall, blind, while prepping a spell. Piece of cake… I hoped. I drew eight Vells of Water Myst. Speed of descent was five meters per second, less than a second until impact. Apply three Vells of Earth to create a slime. The angle I needed was forty-three degrees right… about… NOW!

After aligning my gauntlet, I released my grappling hook. I hadn’t equated the time for it to cross the distance. As I struck the floor feet-first, I felt a bone snap in my left ankle. My mind hazed with pain. If not for the one Vell of Distortion Myst boosting my mental power, I would have lost the spell. Thanks to the myst, I was aware of my hook taking anchor on the floor just past Rose. I dropped to my ass and activated the retraction, pulling myself across the floor feet-first. Rose was both confused and ready, a longsword in her right hand, the water whip in her left.

I shaped the spell as I zipped along. As I drew near, I saw her winding up for a chop. I flew past her, throwing my jacket at her. It obscured her vision, her swing going high as I dropped backward. I waited until I was ten feet past her before releasing my hook and spinning to face her. I threw out my left hand, triggering my spell.

Rose threw off the jacket as I released a swarm of viscous, fluid tentacles. Eight slimy limbs lashed out and ensnared her, binding her immobile. One Vell remained in my Mystwell. I drew it, using the last of the blood in my hand. I converted it to Umbra Myst and infused it into my tendrils—enough for a tier-one weakening hex. Veins of black pulsed through the slime. I lifted her a few inches from the floor.

“Submit to my mighty power!” I said in a melodramatic villain tone, holding up my free hand in a fiendish claw.

I caught a twinge in my senses and snapped my gauntleted hand to a fist, aiming at my five o’clock without looking. “Don’t even think about it, Uncle. Bite the drake’s tail, and the drake snaps back.”

I risked a glance over my shoulder to find Thallos, dagger in hand, frozen mid-stalk. He held his hands out in submission but did not drop the dagger.

“Eww. Iver, I know you feel all badass right now, but did the tentacles have to be slimy?” Rose bemoaned, writhing.

“So, do you yield?” I asked with a broad smirk.

I had kept my head slightly off-center to keep Thallos in my peripheral, and it paid off. I saw a step being taken and, without hesitation, released a wave of Secorus gas and my shock bites. A heartbeat before I could release a current, a dagger lanced through the cloud, piercing my gauntlet and the arm within. A moment later, I caught a glimpse of a flash of light from Rose. I turned to find her wielding a pair of long blades made of pure light and dancing flame. The white light spread from her palms, countering my curse. With an arcing swing, she severed the four bonds on her left side, then hacked away the rest.

I whirled back to Thallos just in time to find a boot stomping down on my damaged gauntlet, pinning it. I let out a snarl of pain. “Well, boy, I bit the drake’s tail, and when the drake turned to bite back, he found his teeth shattered on the plates of a Dragon.”

Rose stepped up, pointing a light blade at my chest. “Dude, the next time you want to pull something gross and creepy, don’t. Especially when it’s aimed at the girl you want to partner with.”

“You aren’t going to stop holding that over me, are you?” I asked.

She grinned, showing no mercy. “Not even a little.” A half-second later, her light weapons flickered and sputtered out. She staggered back, a shocked expression on her face.

“I’m glad to see you taking these lessons to heart, boy,” Thallos said. He stepped off my arm and knelt, pulling his dagger free. I winced. “Here’s my next nugget of wisdom: when outnumbered, and you know one opponent is your better, don’t toy with the others. Keep your focus on the primary threat.”

“Keep my focus? What about not having tunnel vision? If I focused on you, Rose would have made me eat dirt.”

Thallos gave me an annoyed look. “Stop being stubborn, boy. You know you can do both. Keep your primary focus on the biggest threat while remaining aware. That way, Rose wouldn’t be able to get behind you.”

I sat up as Tessa jogged over. “Alright, I’ll admit your point has merit.”

Tessa knelt and began mending my ankle. Thallos tossed his dagger in the air, catching it dramatically. “And gem of wisdom, part two: don’t toy with your prey unless you’re sure you have them outmatched and they have no backup.”

As soon as Tessa finished, I gave her an honest ‘thank you’ and climbed to my feet. Thallos sheathed his toy. “You two ready for round three?”

I waited for Tessa to mend my forearms, then rolled my neck. “Give me six minutes.”

“That fast?” Thallos asked.

“My myst recovery is two Vells a minute. Six minutes will have me just short of topped off. Hopefully, this training will increase my Mystwell. I’m tired of a thirteen-Vell max.” I turned to Rose. “What about you? If you need, we can take longer.”

She looked exhausted, her posture sagging. She clutched her arm, making an effort to remain on her feet. She shook her head. “No, six minutes will be enough.” She turned and made her way to her bag, swaying slightly.

I kept my eyes on her. “What’s the average recovery rate?” I asked Thallos.

He pinched his chin. “I’m no expert, but I’d say about one Vell a minute or slightly less.”

It was my turn to be astonished. My rate was twice that of a normal caster. “Then how common is it for someone to have a rate as quick as mine?”

“Again, not an expert, but it’s exceedingly uncommon to see anything above a Vell and a quarter.”

Rose stood with her head bowed in the corner, mustering her strength.

“So the likelihood of Rose having a rate as quick as mine is…”

“Slim,” Thallos finished.

“And you saw how worn out she was. I never thought I’d have more stamina than that beast of a woman.” I felt his disapproving gaze. “Sorry, slip of the tongue.”

He cleared his throat. “You need to keep in mind how much more of this high-stress training you’ve had. Couple that with her lack of a focus, and casting will have a heavier toll on her.”

I turned to him. “What’s this about a focus?”

He gave me an annoyed glare. “You can’t be that dense, boy. Each caster classification has a specific focus. A Mage’s affinity ratios determine their class and how they tap into magic.”

“So what class is Rose, and what focus would she need?”

He rolled his eyes. “Now I know you know this, you twit. Wizards use a gem-topped staff. Tricksters use Arcane Spider-Silk Gloves.”

I snapped my fingers. “That’s right! And Sorcerers use a Catalyst Gyro-Prism, Bards their instruments, and Elementalists Evvetane Convergence Gauntlets.”

“Yes, yes, you know basic facts. Impressive,” my uncle’s words were dripping with sarcasm.

“Alright, oh wise master,” my words were just as sarcastic, “would you please enlighten me as to the dangers of using magic without a focus?”

“What?” he asked, confused.

“You have yet to tell me the threats.”

For the briefest heartbeat, I saw a look in his eyes I did not like—cold, hungry, pondering. I blinked, and it was gone.

“It’s a topic I’d rather leave unexplored, but I think you’ve proven wise enough to withhold this from…” he flicked his gaze to Rose, “other parties that aren’t ready.”

“I’m listening.”

“Mages who use magic without a focus put their body under enormous strain. Complex spells have an escalating likelihood of failure, which can result in anything from an earthquake, an explosion, an elemental discharge, or the worst: MCFS.”

“MCFS?”

“Myst Channel Feedback Spike. It can cause permanent brain damage, Mystwell damage, or at worst, the feedback could cascade, using up the Mystwell and causing the caster to explode in a gory manner.” His tone was so level, as if he weren’t talking about the potential death of the girl who stole my heart.

My face grew paler. “You’re telling me at any moment, Rose could just explode?!” I hissed.

“Keep your whiny voice down, nimrod,” he hissed back. “It’s only likely for complex spells. The only one she’s cast all day that was a threat was that light-and-flame sword. She isn’t taking the same myst classes as you. You’re being taught myst laws and mechanics. I’m only teaching her the basics until we can get her classification verified.”

I gave him a disdainful glare. “Then why not verify her class and jump straight to the focus? And on the matter of focuses… foci?” I was unsure of the plural. “Why am I being trained without one?” I knew the answer but felt like ruffling his feathers.

He gave me a derisive sneer. “You know full well your blood is your focus. I swear by Raffendus’s mask, if you make me explain why you’re exempt from the physical elemental draw price, I’ll turn you into a dagger pincushion and make Tessa wait three hours to heal you.”

My joking ignorance got a lot less amusing. I gave an audible gulp and turned to check on Rose. “So if she has a slower recovery rate and no focus, do you think she’s pushing herself to keep up an image?”

He gave an amused snort. “I’ve been waiting for you to catch on. She’s been playing this game since she joined. She’s trying to prove she can keep up. That’s why I haven’t verified her class or trained her on crafting a focus.”

“What?”

He huffed. “I’m pushing her. She needs to understand her limits without a focus to really understand what she can do with one.”

“Why?”

He turned back with a wide smirk. “Think of it this way: Wizards are known for crafting and support spells. Now, say you didn’t know you were a Wizard and you’re in rigorous combat training. What happens when you learn what you are?”

My tail flicked. “You would think of your talents in a combat orientation. You’d be a Wizard who knew how to be a threat.”

Thallos tapped the side of his nose.

“Speaking of support spells used for combat,” I said, “she made blades of pure light. Lumina Myst is for blessings. I’ve heard you can craft a weapon of solid Lumina, but it takes a lot of myst and high affinity. Wouldn’t that mean she put herself in serious danger?”

He nodded deeply. “Five points, red fighter.”

I glared. “This is a sparring match. Why would you let her put herself in danger? She’s a valuable asset.”

“You’re right. I never taught her how to condense Lumina into hard light. She must have figured it out herself. Before the next match, I’ll tell her the spell is barred.”

I nodded, thinking I’d need to ask her how she pulled it off. Rose turned from her corner, jogging back. “Ready to get back to work?” I asked.

“Damn straight, snake-tail. Took you guys fifteen minutes to stop bickering like children. I took my time getting back in the zone.”

“Excuse me,” came Thallos.

Rose skidded to a stop, panicking. “S-sorry, Mystagogue!”

He propped his hands on his hips. “I won’t lie, kid, you’ve got chops. But that doesn’t give you permission to talk to me like a fellow student.”

“But Iver—” she started.

“But nothing. It may look like I’m playing favorites, but he closes up to authority. He has all the social grace of a mule with a second ass instead of a head. I let him talk to me that way because he’s more receptive. But don’t think because he’s a retard you can throw respect in the mulcher.” He pointed an accusing finger at me. That verbal blade dug deep.

I knew I had problems, but retard? Was I really damaged? My thoughts raced as he continued. “Girl, you need to understand I tailor my training. I push you harder only if I know you can go farther. Keep in mind what I think you can become. Now, before we start, I expect you to mend the floor you tore up. And both of you,” he turned to include me, “need to mend any damage you cause.”

I was only dimly aware of his words. I numbly watched as he walked Rose through mending the floor. Before I knew it, he was ordering her to stand across from me. Rose completely decimated me in every match for the rest of that day and many days to come. I wouldn’t let this mental block slip. I hid my weakness, shame, and fear. I would rather be physically weak than show emotional weakness. I would keep this bottled up for many days.